Floodplain 'Not An Issue' for Hopeful IU Med School Developer

04/07/2014 06:40 PM

04/07/2014 06:50 PM

In four days, the IU Board of Trustees will decide which one of the four possible locations will be the new home of the medical school expansion project. Even though two of the proposed locations are in a floodplain, developers say it won't be an issue.

In four days, the IU Board of Trustees will decide which one of the four possible locations will be the new home of the medical school expansion project. Even though two of the proposed locations are in a floodplain, developers say it won't be an issue.

On Friday, the Board of Trustees will pick one of the four proposed locations for the medical school expansion project. The four possible locations are near the USI campus, downtown Evansville, The Promenade on the east side of Evansville and western Warrick County. The latter two are in a floodplain.

Officials from The Martin Group, the developers of The Promenade, said the fact that their property is in the floodplain isn't an issue. In fact, officials said, it's something they deal with on an every day basis.

"Anybody that builds on the east side of Evansville or the west side of Warrick County, they have to deal with that," said Steve Martin of The Martin Group. "Everything in that area has to be raised up. It's just a fact of life."

The expansion project has been billed as a huge economic boost to the area, bringing in close to 2000 people once it opens. Furthermore, officials said, the project will spur other economic development in and around the area in which the school is located.

"All four parties, everybody has worked tirelessly for quite a while and we're all as nervous as a turkey on Thanksgiving," Martin said. "It's an exciting time."

The proposed Warrick County location, which is near Deaconess Hospital, has been studied for the proper soil compression, officials said. Engineers have also taken core samples and completed other geotechnical work to ensure it's suitable for new development. The same process has been done at The Promenade, Martin said.

"We're actually building two lakes, one on each side of the development," Martin said. "From that, we will take the fill to make sure the buildings are at the proper elevation."

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